National Service we all know is basically to acquired once self with practical skills in preparation towards the job market as well as serving one’s country by impacting knowledge thought in classroom to the society.
But embarking on this journey of 1 year mandatory National Service, prudent measures must be put in place by the authorities of GES to avoid engaging trainee teachers in addition to the service and it’s totally mind boggling.
In fact, my brother happen to be part of this year’s National Service and the conditions spelt out are dangerous and could be difficult to met. Wherever and whatever the problem is I don’t know but he is attending Jackson college of education in Ada affiliated with Cape Coast University and was posted to Tamale. Surprisingly, he must be coming to Ada for class in any other weekend since their syllabus is not yet exhausted as well as to plan to do academic teaching practice in any of Ada public schools.
National Service in far away Tamale which involves a lot of money traveling to his school for class, and finding another day in a week for academic teaching practice around the vicinity of his school.
Even though NSS allowance will be provided for them, it’s very bad, imprudently planned by the GES considering the nature of transportation which is risky and the exorbitant fare charged by these drivers. Hence the allowance of GHC345.00 is inadequate to take care of feeding, accommodation, transportation and buying of visual aids for teaching.
Our headache is; how could he combine all these at the same time? Will he die before becoming a teacher?
I will be happy if a committee is set up to investigate this abnormal practice by some of the school authorities to bring an end to it. School reopens on next week Tuesday,13th September and they are expected to report to their respective posted places and at the sometime expected by their teachers to report for weekend class and go to classroom to teach and revert to their posting places until November ending. Too difficult and bad.
And if they should complete their education before embarking on National Service that could be better. One at a time else poor production of teachers will continually lower the BECE examination standards every year.